SCRIPTURE - Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
OBSERVATION
In this chapter of Philippians, Paul shares his primary goal in life: to become more and more like Jesus. He admits he hasn’t reached that goal yet, but he continues to pursue it day by day.
One of the ways he does this is by forgetting what’s behind and pressing on toward what’s ahead. It's important to remember that Paul’s past wasn’t pretty. He was once a hypocritical, murderous, and legalistic religious leader before accepting Jesus. For him to stay focused and driven, he had to leave that past behind. And just like Paul, we must do the same in order to keep our eyes on the most important thing: Jesus Christ.
APPLICATION
Our goal, too, should be to live like Jesus. That can feel overwhelming, especially when we reflect on the areas of our lives where we fall short. When we look at the story of our lives and all our imperfections, it’s clear that we’re far from being like Jesus. It’s easy to get stuck on those shortcomings, but God calls us to leave the past in the past.
Don’t let the sins Jesus forgave disqualify you from moving forward. Don’t let your past mistakes, pain, or regrets keep you from pressing on toward righteousness, joy, transformation, and the hope of heaven. The only reason we should remember our past sins is to give God glory for forgiving us and giving us new life.
PRAYER
Do you struggle to let go of something from your past? Whether it’s where you came from, something you did, or something that happened to you, God doesn’t want you dwelling on the past when He needs you available for the future. Leave those things behind and press on toward the prize: a life lived like Jesus.
"God, what from my past do I need to leave behind? I don’t want to be held back by it anymore. (Name what you want to leave behind.) Thank you for your forgiveness and grace. Help me to truly receive it in how I think and live, and help me to stay focused on pressing on towards what is ahead. In Jesus’ name, amen."
Amen! No turning back Lord, may I continuously move forward and praise You for where You have brought me from! You reached down from on high, drew me out of deep waters, rescued me from my enemies and put me in a spacious place because You delighted in me Lord. You saved me from death! Help me to focus in on the future You have set for me and forgive myself for anything I might be holding on to that You already have forgiven me for! I love you Jesus and I’m thankful for Your forgiveness and Your direction.